*Jared*
I watched her examine the new Cryptex, turning it over in the sunlight pouring through the window. She was holding it with her hand wrapped in a towel, using the end of her toothbrush to gently prod the sides, looking for the mechanisms that cause the connective pieces to spring loose.
Watching her work was intoxicating. I'd never seen someone so wholly focused on a single task. The way she examined the Cryptex was intrinsic, practically second nature. My movements in the background didn't seem to bother her at all as I packed up our things in preparation for our journey home.
The weight I'd been carrying on my shoulders since arriving at Aeris's kingdom was lifting as the early morning hours ticked by. It was likely Eliza and I could walk right out of this place now. All I'd
